Method and device for unwinding conical-layer yarn coils such as cops



Oct. 9, 1962 M. RUHL 3,057,577

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR UNWINDING CONICAL-LAYER YARN coILs SUCH AS coPs 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 28, 1958 Oct. 9, 1962 M. RUHL 3,057,577

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR UNWINDING CONICAL-LAYEIR YARN COILS SUCH AS COPSFiled Aug. 28, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i 52JL United States Patent ()fiice3,057,577 Patented Oct. 9, 1962 3,057,577 METHGD AND DEVICE FORUNWINDING CONE- CAlL-LAYER YARN COILS SUCH AS COPS Manfred Riihl,Rheydt, Germany, assignor to Walter Reiners, M. Gladbach, Germany FiledAug. 23, 1953, Ser. No. 757,757 Claims priority, application GermanyAug. 31, 1957 15 Claims. (Cl. 242-128) My invention relates to a methodand means for removing by unwinding the yarn content of coils, forexample spinning cops, Whose body or package of yarn is formed byconical layers of turns such as those schematically indicated at item6:! in FIG. of the accompanying drawings more fully describedhereinbelow.

Conical-layer coils are preferably used in cases where the yarn contentis to be removed from the coil, for eye ample in a yarn re-windingmachine, by pulling the yarn off in a direction generally parallel tothe coil axis. Such unwinding in over-the-tip fashion has the advantagethat the coil, during unwinding, need not be placed in rotation, so thatwhen the operation is suddenly stopped, no appreciable mass need bedecelerated and that, when the unwinding operation is suddenlycommenced, no or only negligible masses of yarn, namely only the mass ofthe outgoing yarn portion, must be placed in rotation. However,appreciable limits are still imposed upon the proper unwinding speed,particularly if very thin or very sensitive yarns are being processed,due to such residual mass forces as those of acceleration andcentrifugation, the Coriolis force, the force of the unwinding pullexerted upon the yarn, or the air resistance.

During the unwinding of the yarn from the coil, two forces among thosementioned are mainly effective to appreciably influence the propertake-off speed. These are the force required for accelerating the massof the yarn, and the force exerting itself as centrifugal force due tothe fact that the yarn being pulled off the stationary body of the coilrotates about the coil body. These two forces superimpose themselvesupon each other and for that reason they may exert a considerable andundesired pull upon the yarn running off the coil. Due to this pullingforce the amount of yarn still Wound up on the coil is subjected to atension which causes the yarn to become strongly forced against theunderlying yarn layers. This may overstress the yarn or impose anundesirable limit upon the attainable pull-off speed.

It is one of the objects of my invention to provide methods and meanswhich compensate such undesired force at least partially for minimizingor virtually eliminating their detrimental effects.

To this end, and in accordance with a feature of my invention, I subjectthe yarn portion running off the conical-layer coil to an additionalforce which acts simultaneously with the unwinding pull exerted uponthat yarn portion and which is so directed as to have the tendency tolift or throw that yarn portion off the underlying turns of the coilbody. The lifting force may be narrowly limited to a preferred locationof the coil, or it may be applied in a relatively large range. Themagnitude of the lifting force may be varied in accordance with thedirection of the running-off position of the yarn; for example thelifting force may be kept greater or smaller at the end of the yarn coilthan at the beginning of the yarn content; Depending upon the particularprocessing involved, it may further be of advantage to make the liftingforce variable in time. For example, impulse-like surges of liftingforce are sufiicient in some cases. The magnitude of the force pulses,their duration and frequency of recurrence, can be varied for thepurpose of controlling and varying the lifting effect. However, thelifting or throwing-off of the yarn may also be aided by a force, suchas centrifugal force, that remains constant during the unwindingoperation.

According to another feature of my invention, the yarn coil while beingunwound in over-the-tip fashion is simultaneously placed in rotation inthe sense of the yarn running off the coil body. Such rotation of theyarn supply coil has the effect of imposing centrifugal force upon allof its turns of yarn. However, while the centrifugal forces cancel eachother with respect to the closed turn of yarn extending fully about thecoil, no such compensation is effective in the yarn portion running offthe surface of the yarn body. As a result, the non-compensated componentof centrifugal force either suffices to lift the yarn portion off thecoil body or appreciably aids in securing the desired lifting action.Consequently, the lifting force need not, or not entirely, be suppliedby the rotation of the running-off yarn portion itself, thus relievingthis yarn portion of some tension and reducing the pulling force imposedupon the yarn layers of the supply coil. At the same time, the balooningtendency of the runningoif yarn portion is likewise diminished. As aresult, the take-off conditions occurring at very high take-ofi speedremain as moderate as would normally correspond to a much lower take-offspeed. Consequently, by virtue of the above-mentioned rotation of thesupply coil being unwound over the tip, the expedients and devicesnormally used only for lowtake-oif speeds becomes also applicable forhigh take-off speeds.

The rotating speed of the supply coil is preferably so chosen that theyarn portion being pulled off need perform only a few or no rotationsabout the coil body. Due to the conical position of the yarn turns, agiven take-off speed of the yarn does not correspond to a fixed, uniformspeed of coil rotation for all yarn positions relative to the coil body.For best performance, it is rather necessary for the unwinding of agiven length of yarn, to use a different speed of coil rotation at themoment when the yarn runs olf the coil body at the base of the cone,that is, at the largest coil diameter, than at a mornent when the yarnis running off the tip area of the cone. The tip diameter and the basediameter of a conical layer may have a ratio of about 1:2. Aconsiderable improvement of the take-off conditions is obtained if therotating speed of the supply coil is approximately adapted to the largerdiameter of the coil body; but the speed may also be adjusted to asomewhat lower value, that is, it may be rated between the speedscorresponding to the respective base and tip diameters of the conicalyarn layers. The difference in length resulting from the difference ofthe diameter is then still compensated within a few rotations of thecoil, and the yarn is then hardly stressed by ballooning.

Another way of determining the proper rotating speed for the supply coilis to make it correspond to the median takeoff speed of the yarn. Thismedian value corresponds to the total length of a conical layer of yarnin forward and reverse direction relative to the number of the turnsthat form the conical yarn layer. The Value thus determined may be takenas the median value for calculating the proper rotating speed of thesupply coil.

It is further of advantage to stop the rotation of the supply coil inthe event of yarn breakage and whenever it is necessary for otherreasons to stop taking yarn from the supply coil as is the case, forexample, when the yarn package on the take-up spool has reached thedesired size so that the take-up winder drive must be arrested forremoving the completed spool.

Aside from determining the proper rotating speed of the supply coil andsetting it manually, this speed of rotation, according to anotherfeature of my invention, may be automatically adjusted simultaneouslywith, or in dependence upon, the rotating speed of the yarn-guiding drumor other drive that actuates the take-up spool to which the yarn fromthe supply coil is being supplied. Another way of automaticallycontrolling the rotating speed of the supply coil is to make this speeddependent upon the yarn tension at a given location between supply coiland take-up spool. For example, the rotating speed of the supply coilmay thus be controlled or regulated in dependence upon the yarn tensionoccurring at the first yarn-guiding member following the supply coil.For obtaining particularly great take-01f speeds, it is also possible,in conjunction with the present invention, to provide auxiliary meansfor preventing or minimizing ballooning, as have been proposedelsewhere.

The foregoing and other objects, advantages and features of my inventionwill be apparent from, and will be mentioned in, the followingdescription in conjunction with the embodiments illustrated by way ofexample on the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows schematically and in front view a portion of amulti-station winding machine for producing crosswound yarn packages,also called cheeses, from spinning cops;

FIG. 2 is a partial and schematical side view of the same machine;

FIG. 3 illustrates schematically a front view of another yarn-packagewinding machine provided with three yarnunwinding devices ofrespectively different designs;

FIG. 4 is a partial and partly sectional View of another embodiment of ayarn-unwinding device; and

FIG. 5 is a partial and sectional view of a further embodiment of such adevice.

Referring to the coil-winding machine according to FIGS. 1 and 2, theshaft 2a of a number of coaxial yarn-guiding drums :2 is journalled inthe machine frame structure 1. Each individual winding station of themachine is provided with a take-up spool 3 whose periphery rests uponthe surface of the appertaining guiding drum 2. Each take-up spool 3 isjournalled in a frame structure 3a pivoted at 3b to the machine frame 1.During rotation of the drum shaft 2a each take-up spool is entrained byfriction caused by the combined weight of takeup spool 3 and journallingframe 3a. In this manner each individual take-up spool is driven atconstant peripheral speed regardless of the diameter of the body of yarnthat is being built up on the spool.

The lower portion of the machine frame comprises a beam 4 which carriesrespective mandrels 5 on which the yarn supply coils 6 are speared up.The yarn F passes from each supply coil 6 through a yarn tensioner 7 andpast a yarn guard or feeler 8 onto the yarnguiding drum 2 through whoseguiding groove, during rotation, passes the yarn onto the take-up spool3 while reciprocating the yarn back and forth along the spool to producea cross-wound package of yarn.

The tensioners 7 are mounted on a carrier arm 9 which extends along allwinding stations. Mounted on the machine frame structure 1 is a motor 10which drives the drum shaft 2a at normally constant speed through aV-belt transmission comprising sheaves 11, 13 and an endless belt 12.The motor 10 also drives a control shaft 14 through another V-belttransmission. Shaft 14 is journalled on the structure .1 and carries foreach winding station a cam disc 29 coopeerating with a cam-followerlever 15. The yarn guard 8, pivoted at 8a, is joined with a latch arm16. Normally the tip portion of guard 8 rests against the yarn F, andthe lever 16 then occupies the illustrated inactive position. In theevent of yarn breakage, however, the guard 8 turns clockwise into thedotand-dash position so that the arm 16 places itself against an angularportion 15a of the follower lever 15, as is also shown in FIG. 2 bydot-and-dash lines.

Due to the continuous rotation of cam disc 29, the right-hand end offollower lever 15 is alternately lifted and lowered; but as long as thelever portion 15a is not latched by arm 16, this merely causes the lever15 to rotate idly about its pivot 15b mounted on a linking rod 30. Whenthe angular portion 15a of lever 15 abuts against latch arm lever 16,which takes place when lever 16 has turned clockwise in response to yarnbreakage, then the pivot 15b of lever 15 is lifted by rotation of cam 29so that linking rod 30 is moved upwardly with the effect of lifting thejournalling frame 3a with the takeup spool 3, thus disengaging the spool3 from the rotating drum 3 whereby the spool is stopped. At the sametime, the lever 15 entrains a lock 17 at the forked upper end of alifting rod 18 whose lower end is linked to a lifting lever 19. Lever 19is linked to a bearing sleeve 20 so that the sleeve is lifted andlowered together with red 18. The mandrel 5 for receiving the supplycoil 6 is journalled in the bearing sleeve 20 by means of a man drelshaft 21 whose lower end carries a friction disc 22 which can cooperatewith a driving disc 23 only when sleeve 20 and disc 22 are in theillustrated lowered position.

The driving disc 23 is adjustably seated on a shaft 25 driven from motor10 through a V-belt transmission 26, 27, 28. Consequently, the driveshaft 25 for the mandrels is connected with the yarn-guiding drums 2through the transmission 11, 12, '13 so that the revolving speed of eachmandrel 5 and the rotating speed of the guiding drums 2 maintain adefinite ratio.

Also mounted on shaft 25 is a double flange 31 to co operate with acontrol lever 32. Turning the lever 32 about its pivot 32a causesdisplacement of the shaft 25 toward the left or right. The lever 32 hasan arm 33 which can be arrested by means of a set screw entering into aselected one of a series of holes 34 so that any ad justed setting oflever 32 in shaft 25 cannot change accidentally. The driving discs 23are fastened on shaft 25 by respective set screws 24. During theabove-mentioned displacement of shaft 25 in the axial direction, alldriving discs 23 are displaced simultaneously. The available range ofdisplacement is kept so large that by means of the same device either arotation of the mandrels 5 in the clockwise direction or in thecounterclockwise direction can be set for a given direction of rotationof the driven motor. This makes the coil-winding machine suitable foruse of supply coils with right-hand twist of the yarn as well as forCOils with left-hand twist.

Pivotally mounted above the top of each driven friction disc 22 is abrake lever 37 whose spacing from the disc is adjustable by means of aset screw 38 and a spring 39. If, in the event of yarn breakage orexhaustion of the supply coil, the rod 18 is raised in the mannerdescribed above, thus lifting the lever 19 and the bearing sleeve 20,then the friction disc 22 moves away from the driving disc 23 and placeitself against the brake lever. As a result, the supply coil is brakedto standstill together with the above described stopping of the take-upspool.

When starting the operation of the machine and while the supply coil isat first still at rest, the yarn will first rotate about the coil 6 andthus form a balloon. By displacing the disc 23 or displacing the shaft25, such ballooning can be minimized until the removal of yarn from thecoil due to rotation of the yarn is equal to the pullingcfi speed of theyarn determined by the rotating speed of the yarn-guiding drum 2.However, the device also permits adjusting a smaller speed correspondingto the outer diameter of the supply coil.

In the latter case, the balloon of rotating yarn forming itself has aconsiderably slower speed of rotation. Due to the fact that the supplycoil participates in the rotation, there occurs a centrifugal forcewhich can make itself felt only at the free end of the yarn with theeffect that the yarn is flung away from the coil body or, at least, canbe lifted away from that body more easily than when the coil is standingstill. As a result, the pulling force which the yarn portion exerts uponthe yarn body of the supply coil is considerably reduced and the pullwith which the take-up spool is wound up is likewise reduced.

The multi-station coil-winding machine illustrated in FIG. 3 isgenerally similar to the one described above with reference to FIGS. 1and 2 but is equipped with three winding stations denoted by A, B and C,of respectively different design.

In winding station A, the supply coil6 is not connected with a drive.The mandrel 5 of the coil 6, however, is journalled in anti-frictionbearings so that it can readily rotate when the slightest pull isapplied to the yarn. When starting the unwinding operation, a balloon ofyarn is formed which imposes a force upon the supply coil as the speedof ballon rotation increases. This has the effect that the supply coilcommences to participate in the rotating motion. In this case too, theshut-off device for the take-up spool drive may serve to actuate a brakein the manner described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. As a result,the momentum inherent in the supply coil is absorbed by braking in theevent of yarn breakage or stoppage of the wind-up drive.

The design of winding station B in FIG. 3 is such that no rotation ofthe supply coil 6 takes place. A shell 41 of electrically conductingmaterial, for example metal, is mounted on, and insulated from, themandrel 5. This shell is electrically charged by applying a suitablepotential, with the effect that the yarn is lifted off the body of thesupply coil by the electric field in order to make the yarn more easilyrun off the yarn body. Instead of a metallic cylinder, the shell mayalso consist of dielectric material charged electrostatically. Accordingto another modification, the cylindrical shell may besubstituted by oneor several rods which cause the yarn to be lifted off the yarn body atleast partially by applying a sufliciently high electric voltage betweenthe rods and the mandrel.

In the embodiment of the unwinding device incorporated in windingstation C of FIG. 3, a suction nozzle 43 has a nozzle slot extendinglongitudinally along the body of yarn. Instead of a single suctionnozzle, several such nozzles may be mounted on a circle about themandrel axis. By the effect of the suction current, the yarn is likewiseeasily lifted off the coil body, or the lifting effected by the pullexerted upon the yarn is considerably assisted, thus greatly improvingthe running-off conditions.

FIG. 4 shows only one of the supply-coil devices of a multi-stationwinding machine otherwise similar to that described with reference toFIGS. 1 and 2.. According to FIG. 4 the supply coil 6 is seated upon astationary mandrel 45 fastened to the beam 4 of the machine framestructure. The device is provided with a ball bearing 46 mountedinconcentric relation to the mandrel 45 and carrying a fan wheel 47which has a friction disc 48 en gaged by and driven from the drivingdisc 23 of shaft 25. A hood 49 takes care of passing the current of airfrom above along the coil 6 toward the fan wheel before the air passesthrough the loWer end of the hood. In this case, too, the air currenthas the tendency to lift the yarn away from the body of coil 6 becausethe yarn, under the effect of the descending air current, bulgesslightly and thus moves away from the body.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the supply coil 6a. has a core orquill 6b provided with a number of longitudinal slots 53. The coil isplaced upon a hollow mandrel 51 which is connected to a supply ofcompressed air. During operation, a current of air passes through thehollow core, as indicated by the arrow L, and passes out of those slots53' that remain or become uncovered. The hollow core, if not closed atone end, is preferably provided with a. stopper such as 'aball-shapedhandle 54. The current of air blown from below through the coil body andpassing through the long slots entrains the yarn and lifts it away fromthe yarn body, thus producing the improved running-off conditionsdesired.

In devices according to the invention, the running-0H speed of the yarncan be regulated manually. However, it is also possible to measure theyarn tension at the first yarn-guiding structure contacted by the yarncoming from the supply coil and to use the amount of tension forelectrically controlling the rotating speed of the supply coil and thusthe lifting force acting upon the yarn. For this purpose, a change-speedmechanism of any suitable other design may be used in lieu of thetransmission 26, 27, 28, or the displacement of the control shaft 25 canbe effected by means of an electromagnet which acts upon the lever 33and is controlled in dependence upon the yarn tension as mentionedabove.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art, upon a study of thisdisclosure, that the invention is not limited to the illustratedembodiments, but may be given various other modifications. The inventionis applicable with individual winding stations as well as inmulti-station machines and also in fully automatic coil-windingmachines.

I claim:

1. The method of unwinding conical yarn-layer coils at relatively highyarn take-off speeds which comprises unwinding the yarn from thesuccessive conical layers of the yarn body of the coil by pulling theyarn axially upward over the coil tip and simultaneously axiallyrotating the coil to subject said yarn portion at the surface of theyarn body to an aiding force having an upward component tending to liftsaid yarn portion off the underlying conical yarn layers in coactionwith the lifting force component of the pull, the rotating speed of saidcoil being such that the peripheral speed of said surface is less thanthe linear take-01f speed of the yarn whereby said aiding force issmaller than required to cause by itself such lifting of said yarnportion.

2. The method of unwinding conical yarn-layer coils at relatively hightake-off speeds which comprises unwinding the yarn from the successiveconical layers of the yarn body of the coil by pulling the yarn axiallyupward over the coil tip to form a balloon of the yarn, simultaneouslyaxially rotating the yarn coil to subject the yarn portion being pulledoff to a lifting force of generally radial and upward direction tendingto move said yarn portion at the surface of the yarn body away from theunderlying conical yarn layers, and varying the lifting force duringunwinding from a higher magnitude at the start of the unwindingoperation toward a lower magnitude at the end of said operation, therotating speed of said coil being such that the peripheral speed of saidsurface is less than the linear take-off speed of the yarn.

3. The method of unwinding conical yarn-layer coils at relatively hightake-off speeds and simultaneously rewinding the yarn onto a take-upspool, which comprises unwinding the yarn from the successive conicallayers of the yarn body of the coil by pulling the yarn axially upwardover the coil tip to form a balloon of the yarn, and simultaneouslyimparting an axial rotating motion to the coil about the coil axis andin the direction of the running-olf movement of said yarn from saidcoil, imparting a constant peripheral speed to the take-up spool, andmaintaining a predetermined ratio between the rotational speed of thecoil and the peripheral speed of the take-up spool, whereby the yarnportion being pulled off the coil surface is subjected to a controlledcentrifugal force tending to lift said portion 013? said surface withoutexcessive stress in the yarn being caused by the balloon formation, saidperipheral speed of the coil having a speed smaller than that of saidrunning-01f movement.

4. The method of unwinding conical yarn-layer coils at relatively hightake-off speeds and simultaneously rewinding the yarn onto a take-upspool, which comprises unwinding the yarn from the successive conicallayers of the yarn body of the coil by pulling the yarn axially upwardover the coil tip to form a balloon of the yarn, and simultaneouslyimparting an axial rotating motion to the coil about the coil axis andin the direction of the runningofi movement of said yarn from said coil,imparting a constant peripheral speed to the take-up spool, andmaintaining a predetermined ratio between the rotational speed of thecoil and the peripheral speed of the take-up spool, whereby the yarnportion being pulled off the coil surface is subjected to a controlledcentrifugal force tending to lift said portion off said surface withoutexcessive stress in the yarn being caused by the balloon formation, saidperipheral speed of said coil corresponding substantially to that ofsaid running-off movement at the largest diameter of the conical yarnlayer.

5. The method of unwinding conical yarn-layer coils at relatively hightake-off speeds and simultaneously rewinding the yarn onto a take-upspool, which comprises unwinding the yarn from the successive conicallayers of the yarn body of the coil by pulling the yarn axially upwardover the coil tip to form a balloon of the yarn, and simultaneouslyimparting an axial rotating motion to the coil about the coil axis andin the direction of the runningoif movement of said yarn from said coil,imparting a constant peripheral speed to the take-up spool, andmaintaining a predetermined ratio between the rotational speed of thecoil and the peripheral speed of the take-up spool, whereby the yarnportion being pulled off the coil surface is subjected to a controlledcentrifugal force tending to lift said portion off said surface withoutexcessive stress in the yarn being caused by the balloon formation, andvarying the rotating speed of the coil in dependence upon the yarntension of said yarn portion.

6. A yarn winding machine, comprising a take-up winder for producing ayarn package from the yarn of supply coils of the conical-layer type, aholder for accommodating such supply coil, said holder being spaced fromsaid winder, yarn guiding means defining a yarn path from said holder tosaid winder for unwinding the supply coi'l on said holder by pulling theyarn axially upward over the tip of the supply coil due to pull exertedby said winder, and additional force means having an active range nearsaid holder and having a force acting radially outwardly upon the yarnportion being pulled axially upward off the coil, said force having atsaid holder a direction tending to lift said yarn portion away from theunderlying conical yarn layers during operation of said winder.

7. In a winding machine according to claim 6, said force meanscomprising a drive means for rotating the yarn coil, and a. pneumaticdevice having an airflow path near said holder for entraining said yarnportion away from said underlying conical layers.

8. A yarn winding machine, a comprising a take-up winder for producing ayarn package from the yarn of supply coils of the conical-layer type, aholder for accommodating such supply coil, said holder being spaced fromsaid winder, yarn guiding means defining a yarn path from said holder tosaid winder for causing said winder to unwind the supply coil on saidholder and form a balloon in the yarn by pulling the yarn over the tipof the supply coil, said holder being rotatable about its axis, anddrive means connected with said holder and adapted for axially rotatingsaid holder during unwinding operation in the direction of therunning-off movement of the yarn portion being unwound and at a coilperipheral speed less than said running off movement, whereby said yarnportion is subjected to centrifugal force tending to lift it away fromthe underlying yarn layers.

9. A winding machine according to claim 8, comprising yarn-absenceresponsive feeler means, and drive control means connected with saiddrive means and with said feeler means for stopping rotation of saidcoil holder upon occurrence of yarn breakage and yarn exhaustion.

10. A winding machine according to claim 8, comprising a winder driveconnected with said take-up winder for operating said winder, andtransmission means conmeeting said winder drive with said drive means,whereby (the rotation of said coil holder has a given relation to thespeed of said winder.

11. A winding machine according to claim 8, comprising stop means forarresting said winder, drive control means interposed between said drivemeans and said coil holder for stopping the rotation of said holder,yarn-absence responsive feeler means disposed along said yarn path andconnected with said stop means and with said drive control means forstopping said winder as well as said coil holder upon occurrence of yarnbreakage and exhaustion.

12. A winding machine according to claim 8, comprising a normallyinactive brake for arresting said coil holder, yarn-absence responsivefeeler means disposed along said yarn path and connected with said drivemeans for stopping said drive means and actuating said brake to arrestsaid coil holder upon occurrence of yarn breakage and exhaustion.

13. A multi-station yarn-winding machine, comprising in each of itswinding stations a take-up winder for producing a yarn package from theyarn of supply coils of the conical-layer type, a holder foraccommodating such supply coil, said holder being spaced from saidwinder, yarn guiding means defining a yarn path from said holder to saidwinder for unwinding the supply coil on said holder and forming aballoon in the yarn by causing said winder to pull the yarn axiallyupward over the tip of the supply coil, said holder in each windingstation being rotatable about its axis and having a gear means foraxially driving said holder; a drive shaft extending along a pluralityof winding stations and having respective driving gears for driving saidrespective gear means, each of said stations having control means forcoupling and uncoupling said gear means relative to one of saidrespective driving gears, and each station having yarnabsence responsivefeeler means connected with said control means of the same station foruncoupling said gear means from said driving gear in the event ofabsence of yarn in said path.

14. A winding machine according to claim 13, comprising a winder drivehaving a drive shaft and a plurality of drive members coaxially mountedon said drive shaft to be driven simultaneously, said drive membersbeing engageable with said respective take-up winders, winder controlmeans for coupling and uncoupling said winders from said respectivedrive members, each of said feeler means being connected with said drivecontrol means in the same winding station for stopping said winder ofsaid station in response to absence of yarn, whereby said coil holderand said winder in each station are stopped by response of said feeler.

15. A winding machine according to claim 14, comprising transmissionmeans of adjustable transmission ratio connecting said drive shaft withsaid control shaft for driving the latter in an adjusted speed relationto said drive shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,840,262 Simonson et al Jan. 5, 1932 2,251,311 Wylde et a1. Aug. 5,1941 2,574,455 Abbott Nov. 13, 1951 2,603,938 Rodgers July 22, 19522,605,982 Miller Aug. 5, 1952 2,628,579 Sutphin Feb. 17, 1953 FOREIGNPATENTS 659,908 France Feb. 11, 1929 1,146,746 France May 27, 1957

